The Zimbabwe ZiG currency has held steady this year, helped by the ongoing economic recovery. Data by the Zimbabwe Central Bank shows that the USD/ZWG was trading at 26.40, a level it has remained at in the past few months. 

Why the Zimbabwe ZiG has stabilized

The ZiG currency has been relatively stable this year for several reasons. First, there are signs that the country’s economy is doing relatively well this year. Estimates are that it will grow by 6% this year and cross the important milestone of $52.3 billion. 

The main catalyst for the economic recovery is the agricultural sector, which is expected to grow by 21% this year. This is an important thing because the country went through a slowdown last year, leading to more imports.

Also, the country’s tobacco exports surged this year. Data shows that the country exported 352.7 million kilograms of the crop, mostly to China, a big increase from what it sold last year.

The mining sector is also doing well, helped by more production and price increases. Gold, which accounts for about 53% of its exports, jumped to a record high, a trend that some analysts believe will continue. The country produced 36.5 tons of gold last year and now plans to produce 40 tons this year. 

The rising gold price is important for the Zimbabwe ZiG because it has led to a significant increase in its reserves. Data shows that the reserves have jumped to over $750 million, which is enough to cover one month of imports requirements.

The currency has also done well this year because of the tight monetary policy in the country. Data shows that the benchmark interest rate has remained unchanged at 35% since September last year. In theory, this should lead to more demand for the currency because of carry trade implications. 

Additionally, Zimbabwe has been engaged in talks with some of its top lenders, especially the IMF. These talks are aimed at resolving the multi-decade debt crisis that has locked it out of the financial market.

The IMF has expressed openness to help Zimbabwe, only if it agrees to restructure its external debt and clears its arrears to agencies like the World Bank and AfDB.

Zimbabwe hopes to phase out the US dollar

The Zimbabwe ZiG has held steady as the central bank and the Ministry of Finance have expressed hopes to gradually phase out the use of the US dollar by 2030.

This would be a big deal because most of the transactions in the country are handled in US dollars. Still, some analysts warn that ending the use of the greenback will lead to economic challenges. Precisely, it will remove the bout of stability that the greenback has brought. In a recent statement, the head of Imara Asset Management said:

“A free and widespread use of the dollar within the economy has made it easier for corporates and individuals to transact and plan.”

Still, the stability of the Zimbabwe ZiG is not a sign that it will continue doing well. Besides, the other currencies that ended up failing started well, only for them to implode a few years later.

The post Here’s why the Zimbabwe ZiG currency stability is continuing appeared first on Invezz

The USD dollar index pulled back below $100 this week as the Senate voted to end the longest government shutdown in US history. The DXY Index was trading at $99.6, down from this month’s high of $100.30. So, will the dollar retreat as some analysts are predicting?

Morgan Stanley and MUFG expect the US Dollar Index to pull back 

The US Dollar Index, which measures the strength of the greenback against a basket of currencies, has retreated this week as Wall Street analysts predict the next move as hopes that the government shutdown is ending have faded.

The Senate voted to end the shutdown, with the bill now moving to the House of Representatives, where some Democrats are expected to vote for it. 

Ending the government shutdown is important as it will enable government agencies to start publishing key macro data on the labor market.

Analysts are mostly bearish on the US dollar now that the government shutdown has ended. In a recent statement, a top analyst at Morgan Stanley noted that the dollar will continue falling as the upcoming data shows the worsening situation in the labor market. He said:

“The more that employment data show a consistently slow pace of hiring, the more investors will begin to price in this structural force via lower real and nominal rates, which in turn weighs on the dollar.”

Other analysts are highly bearish on the greenback. For example, an analyst from MUFG concurred with Morgan Stanley, noting that the upcoming data will show more weakness of the US economy.

Meanwhile, RBC, the biggest Canadian bank, warned that the US dollar index may crash harder in the coming months. The bank warned that the greenback could crash by 40% in the next few years.

ING Bank is also relatively bearish on the greenback as it maintains a bias on foreign currencies. The bank believes that the EUR/USD pair will end next year at 1.21, up from the current 1.1562. 

It also expects the USD/JPY pair to move from the current 154 to 148 in the fourth quarter of the year. Also, the GBP/USD pair is expected to keep rising, while the Canadian dollar will move downwards. A Bloomberg analyst said:

“The more the labor narrative softens, the greater the risk that yield-driven support turns from tailwind to trap.”

DXY Index technical analysis 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the DXY Index has rebounded from the year-to-date low of $96.38 to a high of 100.20.

It is now hovering at the 23.6% Fibonacci Retracement level and is slightly above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). The two averages are about to cross each other, forming a mini golden cross indicator.

The DXY Index has formed a double-bottom pattern at $96.37 and a neckline at $100.20. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the index rebounds and possibly hits the 50% Fibonacci Retracement level at $103.30.

A move below the support level at $99 will invalidate the bullish outlook and point to more downside.

The post DXY Index: Will the US dollar crash as Morgan Stanley, ING, MUFG, RBC predicts? appeared first on Invezz

The Indian rupee remained near its all-time low this week, even as odds of a trade deal between the United States and India rose. The USD/INR pair was trading at 88.70 today, a few points below the record high of 88.87. It has jumped by 5.90% from its lowest level this year.

Analysts are bullish on the Indian rupee 

Some analysts are highly bullish on the Indian rupee as odds of a sustained trade deal between the US and India rose. In a statement on Tuesday, Donald Trump confirmed that the two sides would reach a fair trade deal with the fifth biggest economy in the world soon.

As a result, analysts at ING Bank predicted that the relatively cheap rupee will stage a strong rebound. The bank sees the USD/INR exchange rate moving from the current 88.90 to 87 at the end of 2026, a 2% increase from the current level.

ING believes that the catalyst will be the deal with the US and the fact that it has become a highly undervalued currency. It has become the second-worst-performing currency in Asia this year after the Indonesian rupiah. The bank said: 

“India remains the standout among high-yielders: fundamentals are solid, fiscal risks are contained, and supply chain diversification continues to attract investment.”

India and the United States are going through a rough patch because of Donald Trump’s tariff policy. The US has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods. A part of the tariff is based on the reciprocal levy, while the rest is because India purchases Russian oil.

On top of this, the US has added the H1-B visa fee from below $300 to $100,000, a move aimed at preventing more workers from coming to the United States. While the policy applies to all countries, India is at a significant risk as it accounts for 70% of the recipients.

Therefore, a deal between the two countries may help to boost the performance of the Indian rupee in the near term.

The other potential catalyst for the Indian rupee is the carry trade opportunity, where investors borrow from a low-yielding country to a higher-yielding one. 

A good example of this is the fact that Indian bond yields are soaring, which is attracting American foreign investors. Data shows that global funds bought $631 million (55.5 billion rupees) of government debt last week, up from the previous 1.21 billion.

USD/INR technical analysis 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the USD/INR exchange rate has been in an uptrend in the past few months and is now hovering near its all-time high.

It remains above all moving averages, a sign that bulls remain in control. However, the pair has also formed a double-top pattern at 88.87 and a neckline at 87.61.

Therefore, the pair will likely have a bearish breakout, potentially to the psychological level at 88 in the near term.

The post USD/INR forecast as ING Bank predicts an Indian rupee rebound appeared first on Invezz

The USD/ZAR exchange rate has pulled back in the past few months and is hovering near its lowest level this year. It was trading at 17.16, a few points above the year-to-date low of 17. It remains down by over 14% below its highest level this year.

Why the South African rand is rising

The USD/ZAR exchange rate remains under pressure this year as the South African rand has become one of the best-performing currencies in the emerging markets. 

It has done well because of the ongoing stability of the South African economy. Recent data showed that the economy is expected to rebound by 1.1% this year, helped by the agricultural, mining, and manufacturing sectors. 

The country has also benefited from the ongoing performance of key commodities like gold, platinum, and palladium, which have soared this year. Gold has jumped to a record high, and analysts anticipate more growth ahead.

Similarly, platinum and palladium prices have also jumped to their multi-year highs. This is notable as South Africa is one of the biggest producers of these metals.

The manufacturing sector has also done well despite the worsening relationship with the United States, one of its top trading partners. A recent report by S&P Global showed that the manufacturing PMI retreated slightly to 49.2 in October from 50.8 in September. 

Goldman Sachs expects South African upgrade

The USD/ZAR exchange rate has pulled back as analysts at Goldman Sachs predicted that the country will receive a credit rating upgrade after the budget reading. It will receive an upgrade from S&P Global Ratings, which will release its report on the country later this week.

A rating upgrade will be important for the country as it will mark a sign of confidence in the economy. It will also signal growing confidence in its fiscal consolidation efforts, which have been characterized by large deficits and bailouts for state-owned firms. 

In recent statements, agencies like Fitch, Moody’s, and S&P Global have highlighted three key things that need to happen for a credit rate upgrade to happen. These include more fiscal consolidation, no more bailouts, and economic growth.

The USD/ZAR exchange rate has also dropped because of its role as a carry trade currency. It has become a carry trade because South African interest rates stands at 7% compared to between 3.75% and 4%. As such, it has become common for investors to borrow US dollars and invest in South African assets.

USD/ZAR technical analysis 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the USD/ZAR exchange rate has come under pressure this year. It dropped from a high of 19.92 in January to the current 17.14. 

The pair is hovering slightly above the key support level at 17, where it has failed to move below this year. This price is below all moving averages and the Supertrend indicator. 

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where it continues falling in the near term. This view will be confirmed if the pair moves below the support at 17.10. A move below that level will point to more downside, potentially to 16.

The post USD/ZAR: South African rand analysis ahead of potential credit rating upgrade appeared first on Invezz

Vodafone share price popped and reached its highest level since August 2022 as the company’s German business returned to growth. VOD soared to a high of 94p, up by about 67% from its lowest level in 2024. 

Vodafone share price rises after earnings

Vodafone Group was one of the best-performing companies in the FTSE 100 Index on Tuesday as it jumped by over 6% in its best day in months. 

This surge happened after the company published its financial results, which provided more color on its performance. Most importantly, the company said that its German business returned to growth in the last half of the year

The results showed that Germany’s total revenue rose by 7.3% in the first half of the year. This growth was because of its strong service revenue and the ongoing consolidation of Three UK, a move that created a large telecom giant in the UK. 

The company also said that its German revenue rose by 0.5%, the first time it happened in a while. Its growth was because of the TV law change and its higher wholesale revenue in the country. 

Vodafone’s business had a 1.2% organic growth in the UK because of its Three business integration. Also, its Africa business experienced double-digit revenue growth, while its business segment had 2.9%. In a statement, the CEO said:

“Based on our stronger performance, we are now expecting to deliver at the upper end of our guidance range for both profit and cash flow, and as our anticipated multi-year growth trajectory is now underway, we are introducing a new progressive dividend policy.”

In addition to its dividend, the company continued repurchasing it stock. It has now completed its €3 billion share buybacks and is on track to repurchase €1 billion more. 

The company is implementing more strategies to accelerate its turnaround. For example, it is strengthening its market in key markets like Romania and boosting its market share in the UK, where it acquired Three.

Vodafone stock price technical analysis 

VOD stock price chart | Source: TradingView

The weekly chart shows that the VOD share price has been in a strong bull run in the past few years. It has jumped from a low of 56p in January last year to 95p today. 

Most recently, it moved above the important resistance level at 89.60p, its highest level on August 26. This price was slightly above the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level. 

It formed a golden cross pattern in September as the 50-week and 200-week Exponential Moving Averages (EMA) crossed each other. This pattern is one of the most bullish signs in technical analysis.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD indicators have continued rising this year. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the Vodafone stock price keeps rising as bulls target the key resitance level at 107p, the highest point in 2021. A move below the support at 89p will invalidate the bullish view.

The post Here’s why the Vodafone share price popped after earnings appeared first on Invezz

The LVMH share price has been in a strong uptrend in the past few months as concerns about its Chinese business eased. It jumped to a high of €630, its highest level since March and 45% above its lowest level this year. 

LVMH is betting on China’s recovery

There are signs that LVMH’s Chinese business is coming back to life after going through a rough patch in the past few years. According to Bloomberg, the company is planning to open large stores in the country by December this year. 

It will open stores of its brands like Louis Vuitton, Dio, Tiffany, and Loro Piana. The company is also working on opening a new Christian Dior store in Shanghai.

These new developments are a bet that the company’s business in the country is improving. Besides, the most recent results showed that its Chinese business returned to growth. Similarly, Kering, the parent company of Gucci, reported a smaller-than-expected sales decline in the country.

A recovery in the Chinese market will be a good thing for companies like LVMH as Europe and the United States slow. The most recent results showed that its wines and spirits revenue slowed by 4% in the first nine months of the year to €3.97 billion.

READ MORE: Here’s why the Burberry share price jumped after LVMH earnings

Its fashion and leather goods revenue softened to €27 billion, while its selective retailing and watches & jewelry have rebounded modestly in the same period. 

The luxury industry has other catalysts, including the ongoing economic recovery in key markets. Most notably, the stock market has continued doing well in the past few months, with top indices in the US, Europe, and Asia rising to a record high.

Another catalyst is that the company is reasonably valued, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 26, slightly higher than the S&P 500 Index average of 22.

LVMH share price technical analysis

LVMH stock chart | Source: TradingView 

The daily chart shows that the LVMH stock price has been in a strong uptrend in the past few months. It has moved from a low of €434 in July to the current €630, its highest level since March 10. 

The stock is now hovering at the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level. Also, it has moved above the Ichimoku cloud and the Supertrend indicators, a sign that bulls are in control. 

The LVMH share price has formed a golden cross pattern as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD have all moved upwards. It has also moved to the ultimate resistance level of the Murrey Math Lines tool.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the stock continues rising, with the next key level to watch being at €750, the highest level in January this year. 

The post Here’s why the LVMH share price is in a strong bull run appeared first on Invezz

Natural gas price in the US is set for its third week of gains after rallying to a level last recorded in March 2025. Forecasts of cold and dry Arctic winds and the resultant drop in temperature have fueled a bullish outlook for the ensuing weeks. Besides, the country has ramped up LNG exports to Europe ahead of its winter season. 

Natural Gas Price Rallies on Bullish Outlook

Natural gas price has rallied to a months-long high as the market responds to tight storage and heightened demand. According to the EIA weekly storage report, the amount of working gas in storage stood at 3,915 Bcf as of 31st October. While the figure represents a surge of 33 Bcf from the previous week, it is 6 Bcf below the reported stock at a similar period in 2024. In the ensuing weeks, the market expects modest storage builds as the weather gets cooler and LNG exports remain at record levels.

Data released by financial firm LSEG indicated that the US exported 10.1 million metric tonnes (mmt) of LNG in October. This makes it the first country to hit the monthly mark of 10 mmt. In the previous month, it exported 9.1 mmt of LNG. Since the start of the year, it has had four record-hitting months.

Notably, the US is already the leading exporter of liquified natural gas worldwide. Still, it has been ramping up production through its new projects while striving to secure a larger market share in Europe. In October, close to 70% of its LNG exports were directed to Europe as the continent accumulates the fuel ahead of the winter season. 

At the same time, an extreme cold snap is expected in eastern and central US from next week as highlighted by the country’s Weather Prediction Center. The expected cold and dry Arctic winds are set to cause record low temperatures; increasing the demand for natural gas.

Natural gas price technical analysis

Natural gas price chart | Source: TradingView

On Thursday, Henry Hub natural gas price reversed the losses recorded in the previous session, even as it remained within a rather tight range. At the start of the week, the spot price rallied to an 8-month high on the back of a bullish demand outlook. 

Even with the pullback, the asset is on track to record its third straight week of gains. Besides, I expect it to hold steady above the support zone of $4.00 per MMBtu. Prior to a week ago, that level had been evasive for about seven months with only a brief surge above it in mid-June.    

At its current level, natural gas price is trading within the overbought territory with an RSI of 72. In the short term, it may remain range-bound before the bulls gather enough momentum to hit a fresh 8-month high.

With this in mind, the range between $4.10 and $4.46 will be worth watching in the ensuing sessions. Further rallying will likely activate the upper resistance zone of $4.55. On the flip side, a pullback past $4.05 would invalidate this bullish thesis.

The post Natural gas price analysis: Levels to watch as the US breaks LNG export records appeared first on Invezz

GLD (SPDR Gold Shares), which is the leading gold ETF, has held steady above the once evasive zone of $360 as uncertainties and a weaker US dollar bolster safe haven demand. In line with the Q3 demand report, the gold market is on track to record its strongest year yet. 

Gold ETFs set market on track for a record year  

Gold ETFs make up a significant part of the gold market as investors seek exposure to the conventional safe-haven asset. This has been particularly visible in recent months with the precious metal’s historic rallying.

Data from the World Gold Council (WGC) highlighted slowed gold ETF inflows in October compared to the previous month. However, they remained within 2025’s average of $7.1 billion. With the heightened institutional and individual demand, global gold ETFs are less than two months away from recording the strongest year. 

October marked the fifth consecutive month of ETF inflows as demand moved in tandem with the prices. In Q3’25, the precious metal’s total demand rose by 3% YoY to the highest quarterly total of 1,313 tonnes. Year to date, the demand has surged by about 1%. 

In addition to the steady rise in the demand for gold bars and coins, heightened ETF purchases have fueled the total demand. For instance, central bank buying in Q3 rose by 28% from the previous quarter. Even after the much-awaited pullback, the bulls remain in control as strong fundamentals prop up the precious metal. 

At the same time, the weakening of the US dollar has steadied the GLD gold ETF above the crucial support zone of $360. The dollar index has erased the gains made earlier in the week as uncertainties stemming from the US government shutdown bolster safe haven demand. As is the case with other dollar-priced assets, a decline in the value of the greenback makes gold less expensive for buyers holding foreign currencies. 

GLD Gold ETF Technical Analysis

For about two weeks now, the GLD gold ETF has been trading within a rather tight range. This is after cooling off from the 50th record high in late October. 

Even with the easing, the bulls remain in control as the derivative continues to trade above the medium-term 50-day EMA. At the time of writing, it was hovering near the short-term 25-day EMA at $ 368.64.

In the near term, the range between the support zone of $360.50 and the resistance at $370 will be worth watching. Further rebounding may activate the crucial support-turn-resistance level of $376. On the flip side, a pullback below the 50-day MA at $357 will invalidate this bullish thesis. 

The post GLD gold ETF finds floor as Q3 report boosts momentum appeared first on Invezz

The crypto market rally gained steam on Monday morning, with the total valuation of all tokens jumping by nearly 5% to $4.57 trillion. Bitcoin remained above $105,000, while top coins like PUMP, Virtuals Protocol, Zcash, and Aerodrome Finance were up by over 15%.

Crypto market rally happening as government shutdown nears end

The main reason why the government shutdown is happening is that the longest government shutdown is nearing its end after some moderate senators reached a deal on Sunday.

The proposed deal seems like a victory to Donald Trump and the Republicans, who have largely achieved most things they wanted, such as ending Obamacare subsidies. Democrats main victory was a commitment for no federal employees layoffs through January next year.

Ending the government shutdown is a good thing for the crypto market as it removes one of the biggest risks in the market. It also means that the US will start releasing key macro data on areas like the labor market and inflation soon.

These numbers are important as they help to complement those published by the private sector, which the Federal Reserve and other economists have been relying on in the past few months.

Crypto market going up as SOFR rate slips

Another key reason why the crypto market rally is happening is that the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) has continued moving downwards, and is now at the lowest level in years.

The SOFR is an important interest rate that companies like banks pay for overnight financing. It is collateralized by the US treasury in the repurchase or repo market. Analysts believe that the SOFR rate is often more important than the headline interest rate that the Fed cuts or raises.

A falling SOFR rate boosts the stock and crypto markets by lowering the cost of borrowing, which leads to a risk-on sentiment among investors.

Demand for privacy tokens rising 

The other main catalyst for the ongoing crypto market rally is happening is that demand for privacy tokens is soaring.

Data compiled by CoinMarketCap shows that privacy tokens are leading the ongoing surge in the crypto market industry.

Zcash price has jumped from below $50 in October to $650 today, making it the 12th biggest token in the crypto industry. Dash price jumped by 14% in the last 24 hours, while other tokens like Monero, Horizen, and Decred have maintained their bull run.

Rising volume and open interest 

The crypto market rally is also happening as volume and futures open interest gains steam. Data shows that open interest in the crypto industry jumped by 5.22% in the last 24 hours to $148 billion, a sign that investors are starting to deploy leverage into the industry. 

There are signs that the funding rate has bottomed after plunging sharply last month when over 1.6 million traders were liquidated. The volume in the spot market has also jumped in to past few days, moving to $270 billion in the last 24 hours.

Upcoming crypto earnings 

The crypto market rally is happening ahead of the upcoming earnings by some of the biggest companies in the crypto industry.

Gemini Space Station, the crypto exchange backed by the Winklevoss Twins, will be the first crypto exchange to publish it numbers this week. 

The other top companies to watch will be TeraWulf and Circle. TeraWulf is a $5 billion company that mines Bitcoin and is now pivoting to the AI data center space. 

Circle, on the other hand, is the company behind USDC, the second-biggest company in the stablecoin industry after Tether. 

The post Why is the crypto market going up today? (Nov. 10) appeared first on Invezz

The crypto market started the week well, with Bitcoin and most altcoins being in the green. This surge happened amid optimism that the US government shutdown would end soon. This article explores forecasts for some of the top gainers in the crypto market like Decred (DCR), Zcash (ZEC), Starknet (STRK), and World Liberty Financial (WLFI).

Decred price forecast 

Decred price surged in the past few days, making it one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies. It was trading at $36 today, up by 65% from its lowest level on Saturday. 

Decred, which was built by the same team that built Monero, has surged because of the ongoing demand for privacy tokens. Its main feature is that it uses a hybrid proof-of-stake and proof-of-work.

The daily timeframe chart shows that the DCR price remained in a consolidation phase for months as its volume remained low. This consolidation ended in October when the token went parabolic, reaching a high of $70, up by 342% from its lowest level in October.

Decred price then plunged to $22 on November 8 and has now rebounded to the current $37. It has moved above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a sign that bulls remain in control.

Decred remains above the Ichimoku cloud and the Supertrend indicators. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where it continues to ride the Zcash wave and hit the important resistance level at $50. A move below the support at $24 will invalidate the bullish outlook.

Zcash price prediction 

Zcash price has been the best-performing cryptocurrency this year, rising from $30 in August to a high of $740. This surge was driven by the recent launch of a fund tracking the token, which has now accumulated over $150 million in assets.

The rally then accelerated after bullish statements by some notable analysts and investors, including Arthur Hayes, who predicted that it would surge to $1000 over time.

In a recent statement, Nansen analysts explained the surge, noting the it was like an encrypted Bitcoin because of its advanced privacy features.

Zcash price has moved above all moving averages, and is in an extended markup phase of the Wyckoff Theory. This phase is characterized by the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and increased buying the dip.

The coin has now moved into the overbought level as the Relative Strength Index and the Stochastic Oscillator have continued rising. Therefore, while the token may keep rising, there is an elevated risk that it may pull back in the near term as investors book profits.

Starknet price prediction 

Starknet is a top player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry, where it offers a platform for monetizing Bitcoin. It allows Bitcoin holders to generate a return, pay, and borrow using their Bitcoin. It has over $335 million in total value locked.

The token has jumped despite the unlock that will increase the supply by 163 million tokens valued at $28 million. 

Starknet price rose as it remains in a tight range between the support and resistance levels at $0.1040 and $0.1965. There are signs that it is in the accumulation phase of the Wyckoff Theory, which may trigger a strong bullish breakout, potentially to the psychological level at $0.50.

WLFI price forecast 

The World Liberty Financial token has been in a strong uptrend in the past few days, moving from a low of $0.072 on October 11 to a high of $0.1697 today. It has jumped to the highest level since October 10.

The token has moved above the important resistance level at $0.1560, its highest level on October 29. It also moved between the 38.2% and 50% Fibonacci Retracement levels.

WLFI price has moved above the 50-period and 100-period Exponential Moving Averages. It will likely continue rising as bulls target the key resistance level at $0.200.

The post Top crypto price predictions: Decred, Zcash, Starknet, WLFI appeared first on Invezz